New York Yankees: Not Hitting and Unfitting

The big story for the Yankees this season has been the injuries to their pitching staff, the overuse of their bullpen as a result, and the standings in the American League East which has them eight games behind the Boston Red Sox, and in second place. One other factor in their steady decline which has only recently started to get attention is the lack of hitting coming from key players.

In article by Kat O'Brien in the Tuesday, May 5, 2007 edition of Newsday, the reporter explores the hitting slumps experienced by Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi and Robinson Cano. Both Abreu and Cano never got off the ground this season. This is especially troubling for Cano as he was in contention for the batting title in 2006.

But, it is not just poor pitching and a lack of hitting plaguing this Yankees team. There looks to be, from a fan’s perspective, a lack of desire on their part. Yankees fans have much to worry about with this team. If they to make up any games against Boston during the rest of May, they need Boston to completely de-rail and go in a major slump, while the Yankees would need to win nearly every series they play. That's a tall order for a team this un-inspired and flat.

This lack of fizz is unfitting for a team which claims they want to go to the World Series. A baseball buddy of mine recently stated: "Why don't we call this team what they really are. They're a bunch of high-paid mercenaries who care only about themselves and don't know how to play as part of a team."

Across town, the Mets are playing terrific baseball, the team is unified, and their shaving their heads and having fun to show it. What do the Yankees need to do to be inspired? There's no one this writer can point to who might be willing to shave his head. Perhaps George Steinbrenner can bend his rules a bit and let Johnny Damon grow his beard and long hair back.

Doug Mientkiewicz: Yankee's Pick Me Up

One Yankee who is beginning to show more than a blip on the radar screen is Doug Mientkiewicz. Signed during the off-season in a platoon situation with (at the time) either Andy Philips or Josh Phelps, Mientkiewicz has been doing more lately than flashing impressive leather. He's been hitting and making remarkable plays. Tuesday night in the fifth inning, Doug dove for a ball hit by Gerald Laird of the Texas Rangers, and while on his knees, dove towards him for the tag. But when laird missed the first base bag, Mientkiewicz, while still on his knees scrambled and beat Laird to first base for the out. Watching the instant replay, one has to say "wow." That play is the definition of hustle.

The Yankees have been plagued with injuries, mostly to their starting rotation, this season, and now it seems that Jason Giambi may have to miss some games due to a bone spur in his foot. It's good timing that Mientkiewicz is swinging the bat much better these days because it will help pick up the team in Giambi's absence. It's not to suggest that Mientkiewicz is a hitter of Jason's caliber; but, having someone showing as much hustle as Doug Mientkiewicz has lately is exactly what the doctor ordered in this situation. In April, the pitching staff was unable to pick the team up after the spate of injuries which sidelined their starters. Let's hope the Mientkiewicz sets an example for others.

Don't Play Cards, Mariano

One of the most glaring cases of over-playing one's hand is that of Mariano Rivera marching into spring training warning the Yankees that they better treat him with "respect" or he'll go elsewhere. Well, Mariano, "respect" from the Yankees for you may only come on Old Timer's Day after 2007 as Sport's Illustrated is reporting the Yankees are interested in Francisco Rodriguez (K-Rod) for the 2008 season. Oops, Mo.

This news surely must have reached Mo's agent by now with the impact of a cigar exploding in his face at a state funeral. Did either he or Mariano NOT see this as a possibility? At thirty eight years old, Mariano may have a few years left in him, but whose arm do you want more for around twelve million dollars a year? K-Rod is the person you throw big money at over four or five years. Mariano is the guy you keep at the current pay scale and offer a contract laden with incentives for reaching goals like, say...oh...going beyond the ALDS in the post season?

Don't get me wrong, this writer would love to Mariano hang around for a while and win a few more rings. But, when you threaten to leave the Yankees unless you get more respect (ahem, money) you are actually hijacking paying fans. That's something that ball players don't realize looking down on us lowly fans from atop of their "leather & lumber" towers.

Others ball players should take a lesson from this latest episode with Mariano and the Yankees. You are not irreplaceable. There was a time I thought I would never cheer for Roger Clemens, Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, and a few others from the 1990's and 1980's. So, if one of my favorite Yankees decides that this writer and the rest of the Yankee fans out there aren't paying him enough, well, I'm sure that K-Rod has a favorite song that they can play over the loud-speakers at Yankee Stadium that will get the crowd cheering when he trots out to the mound.

Good luck in Boston, Flushing, or even Tampa, Mariano. Go cry on a big pile of cash.